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Laura Graves Came to Win – And Did It

19.07.2018 -

US rider Laura Graves does not beat around the bush when it comes to her ambitions – she wants to win. And even though many gloat a bit about her ambitions she has shown them that she can do it. She and KWPN gelding Verdades by Florett As-Goya won the CDIO Grand Prix in Aachen with 80,606 percent. She was the only one to beat the magical margin today. The rider said this was to be her last competition before Tryon. The gelding already had a longer break before Aachen – he was not presented in the arena since the World Cup Final in Paris. “Horses at that age know their job,” the rider said. “Of course you try to improve in the training, but he is so sensitive and puts himself under pressure that it is my job to take that pressure away from him.”

Cathrine Dufour who finished in second place with Atterupgaards Cassidy was also happy. The Danish rider and the chestnut Danish horse by Caprimond/Donnerhall achieved 78,494 percent. Third place -surprisingly- went to Helen Langehanenberg after her baby break with Damsey FRH and 77,034 Percent, fourth place to Jessica von Bredow-Werndl with TSF Dalera BB (76,848 percent) and sixth place to Dorothee Schneider and Sammy Davis JR (75,916 percent).

Another surprise: Isabell Werth and Emilio were the worst German pair. Today the gelding refused to do piaffes and finished 17th. Even the top rider did not have an explanation: “I don’t know what happened. Something must have irritated him.”